Makes 12-14 cookies

Rich, chewy and deeply indulgent, these Dark Chocolate, Wild Cherry & Hogweed Seed Cookies are a celebration of summer hedgerows and woodland flavours. Juicy wild cherries bring bursts of tart sweetness that perfectly complement generous chunks of dark chocolate, while lightly toasted Common Hogweed seeds add their unmistakable citrus, cardamom and warming spice notes.

A touch of blackstrap molasses creates a soft, caramel-like depth, giving these cookies a wonderfully chewy centre with lightly crisp edges. Finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, every bite balances sweet, bitter, fruity and aromatic flavours beautifully.

Whether enjoyed warm from the oven or packed into a basket for an afternoon outdoors, these cookies are a delicious reminder that some of the finest baking ingredients can still be found growing wild.

Makes: 12–14 cookies

Foraging note: Only use the fresh green seeds of Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), and never confuse it with the highly toxic Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). Always harvest from plants you can identify with complete confidence.

If you would like to learn how to become a safe and confident forager, join us on a walk.

Ingredients

• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 30g blackstrap molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 220g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp fresh green hogweed seeds, lightly chopped
• 120-150g wild cherries (fresh or frozen), pitted and roughly chopped
• 150g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Method

1. If using frozen cherries, thaw and drain well, then pat dry with kitchen paper.
2. Lightly toast the hogweed seeds in a dry frying pan for 20-30 seconds until fragrant. Allow to cool.
3. Cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the blackstrap molasses, followed by the egg and vanilla extract.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt.
6. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
7. Add the chopped chocolate, cherries and hogweed seeds, folding gently until evenly distributed.
8. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
10. Scoop the dough into golf ball sized portions and place onto the tray, leaving space between each cookie. Sprinkle a few extra hogweed seeds on top if desired.
11. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the centres remain slightly soft.
12. Allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

A rich, chewy cookie combining dark chocolate, wild cherries and the aromatic citrus-spice notes of Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) seeds.